Apr 18, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump administration replaces acting IRS commissioner

April Rubin

A close-up photo of Gary Shapley while speaking — Then-Internal Revenue Service Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley (R) and IRS Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler (L), deliver remarks in December 2023 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Trump administration ousted Gary Shapley as acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, multiple outlets reported on Friday, citing anonymous sources.

Why it matters: The interim position has had a revolving door as President Trump's pick awaits Senate confirmation.

Driving the news: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent took issue with Shapley's appointment, as first reported by the New York Times.

He said Elon Musk pushed to get Shapley installed against the Cabinet member's knowledge.
Michael Faulkender, deputy Treasury secretary, is expected to take on the temporary position.

What we're watching: Trump selected former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) to lead the agency, but he hasn't had a Senate confirmation hearing yet.

Zoom out: The previous interim head, Melanie Krause, resigned after the Treasury Department agreed to release immigrants' tax data to Immigrations and Customs enforcement.

The IRS has previously kept undocumented taxpayers' returns private.
Sharing this information could help the immigration enforcement agents find undocumented immigrants faster.

Flashback: Shapley, as a career, nonpartisan official in 2023, was one of two IRS whistleblowers in a probe into former President Biden's son, Hunter Biden.

Shapley alleged that the Justice Department slow-walked its tax investigation into the president's son and gave him special treatment.

Go deeper: Trump admin asks IRS to rescind Harvard's tax-exempt status

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Trump administration replaces acting IRS commissioner

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